Chrysalis

I’m so .... So hungry!

Perched here on the roof of the cavern, my claws dug into the cold rock there is only one thought in my mind.

Food!

All the delicious things I was able to eat in my previous life are spinning through my mind, chocolate, cake, steaks, bread, yes even bread! I haven’t eaten anything for two days now, the hunger is making my mind play tricks on me. The last time I saw a Croca-beast I swore it looked like a cow and nearly leaped at it from the ceiling!

The centipedes are looking and more like a tangle of noodles. I have to solve this situation before I get myself killed chomping on something I shouldn’t.

Two days. I have been planning for two. Whole. Days.

I have studied every aspect of this end of the cavern in excruciating detail. I’ve spent so long hanging upside down over the water basin that I nearly feel asleep and dropped into the water. That would be a swim I wouldn’t enjoy...

A welcome side effect of spending all my time this way has been my sneak has levelled up to four! Thanks to spending my downtime digging away at my hiding place my digging has also reached level three.

Mua HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I prepare, I grow, I hunger!

Sigh.

I know, these skills are pretty much useless, ok? I know. I’ll take anything I get at this stage. Hopefully, soon I’ll be able to conquer my first prey.

My antennae twitch suddenly. The target is close, I can smell them. Concentrating hard I try to focus my eyes, I’m currently positioned away from pool in a very dark area of the cavern, the snaking light veins along the walls are far apart here, allowing deep shadows to exist.

My chosen prey has been using the wall on this side of the cavern as a resting place, crawling down to the floor and over to the pool once each day to drink.

think I can defeat. So rare! This creature

Wait, I see it!

able to see clearly

stealthy I scramble towards the darkness above the creature. My stomach is rumbling,

I won’t let

fairly slowly, especially on the vertical surface, I get

its back look so solid, as if made of stone.

thinking negative now, my stomach is counting on

move above the target, my eyes are the eyes of the hunter, the eagle, the tiger! I have to wait for my moment to strike, the timing will

Now!

acid spray directly at the target. The liquid falls through the air at

the last few

out in pain as the acid begins to burn its legs, it tries to turn and find the

to bear, tilting the fearsome spines forward to cover as much of its body as it can. This is the wrong battle ground for you Lizard! You want to battle me here on the wall? With my incredible grip skill at level three, this wall is no challenge, also, I am

want to face

I have to focus. The Lizard is bracing itself for the close range battle

expect that did

furiously scrabble my six legs to reorient myself for the fight as the Lizard growls and hisses as acid continues to burn at its feet and now face. It won’t be finished from just this however, my acid is still weak, not strong enough to

begin an awkward dance here on the wall, the Lizard trying to thrust forward with its fangs or spines before retreating and me snapping with my mandibles, trying to latch onto a

vibrate through the air, bouncing off the rock walls and pillars of stone, shaking the air against my antennae. I’ve seen more than one fight over the last few days settled by new challengers entering as the original combatants grew weary. I can’t

before me is beginning to breathe heavily, the energy required to support its body here on the wall while fighting is

forward, its spikes rushing directly towards my still pitiful eyes! I have to dodge! A flash of inspiration strikes and I snap my feet further apart, lowering my body closer to the wall. To grip at this sort of angle takes all the strength my tiny claws can muster but it works, the spikes pass just over

Chance!

open and snap, crunching them closed on the head of my foe. It releases a pained growl as my jaws continue to squeeze tightly but I harden my heart to its

Lizard, you must

gather my strength, prepare my heart

my mandibles the Lizard begins to fall away from the wall as I sail over its head, scaly feet tipped with claws scrabble and scrape at the stone